Closed Meeting going on now...

[fadedrose]

I hope Harry Reid sticks to his guns with changing the filibuster Rules. It began 6:15. On CSpan2 they're showing a news conference with Harry Reid obviously taped earlier, not sure.

[dkf]

1. 538 says Senate may be 50-50 toss up.

Dangerous to get rid of filibuster.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

2. so what? deal with it. win elections.

[BlueStreak]

6. Exactly. Fear uf the future is no reason to f### up the present

And let's get real about the future. The numbers are somewhat unfavorable for the Senate in 2014, but not as bad as 2012, and we won 2012. Granted it is a mid-term, and we have a POTUS who seems to be AWOL, with tumbling popularity and (more importantly) dwindling support from his base. So, Let's say the GOP takes the Senate in 2014. If so, it will only be by a vote or two -- nowhere near what they would need for a veto. So if Obama had any backbone, we would still be in a strong position through 2016.

And in 2016, the Senate numbers are VERY favorable to the Dems, so even if there is a GOP President, we should control the Senate.

The reality is that the GOP will change the rules whenever it suits them, and Reid's actions today don't affect that one bit. Here is the message they ought to be hearing. Dems had better get to work governing -- and that means stopping these ridiculous filibusters -- or else they don't deserve to be in charge of anything come 2014 and beyond.

[sadbear]

3. There's even a possibility that republicans get 51.

Now that would suck, especially if the teabagger retain control of the romper room, err, I mean House.

[fadedrose]

4. Biden would break the tie, but...

2 Senators aren't there, a Rep man and a woman, didn't hear her name or party....

[Atticus]

5. Harry can't stick to his guns---

---he gave them away long ago because Ol' Mitch PROMISED he wouldn't need them.

[discopants]

7. As much as I want Reid to get this done

I worry about the Senate changing hands in 2014. Nate Silver indicated today that Montana may be the tipping point, who knows. If Reid changes the Senate rules now it may likely come back to bite us hard very soon. A Senate GOP majority will probably just go with abusing the nuclear option with as much ease as they do now with the filibuster and make it their common way to ram anything through. Is it possible that a Senate majority could ram a SCOTUS nominee through this way?

[Horse with no Name]

8. Seriously. Let's be honest

They fuck us over with the minority...they don't "need" a simple majority or a super majority to do their damage.

[discopants]

9. Yes Seriously.

By nuclear option, think of the impossible …. as weird as it can get

Supreme Court Justice Grover Norquist.
Supreme Court Justice Allen West.
Supreme Court Justice Jan Brewer.
Supreme Court Justice Ken Cuccinelli.
Supreme Court Justice Harriet Miers!


Seriously, if GOP gains majority in the Senate, can they approve the nomination of a Supreme Court judge with a 51- rule?